Resources for Youth Ministry Leaders
This webpage includes a list of resources which are used by a number of Catholic pastoral leaders who minister with youth across the United States.
Disclaimer: Links to external websites are provided solely for the user’s convenience. USCCB assumes no responsibility for these websites, their content, and/or their sponsoring organizations. References to these sites do not imply and are not to be used as official endorsement by the USCCB of the site or those associated with it. They are solely intended as a resource that might be of interest to USCCB website visitors.
If you find there are additional resources that are being used in ministry with youth with some regularity, but are not listed below, please feel free to send the suggestion(s) to yyam@usccb.org.
National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry
The National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry is the premiere resource leader in the United States for the Church's ministry with junior high and high school youth. The NFCYM mission is "to support and strengthen those who accompany young people as they encounter and follow Jesus Christ."
NFCYM is a membership organization networking individual, organizational, and diocesan pastoral leaders who are jointly committed to the Church's ministry with youth. The organization provides resources, support, and opportunities for this mission to ministers, pastors, bishops, parents, catechists, and volunteers working with younger generations. For more information or to get in touch with NFCYM, go to their website (https://nfcym.org) or contact them directly at @email.
Celebrate Young People Annually
Each year on the Solemnity of Christ the King, the Catholic Church holds its Global Celebration of Young People, where Catholic communities in every country set time aside to reflect on, acknowledge, and celebrate the youth and young adults in their midst. The USCCB has developed a resource guidebook for pastoral leaders to implement this celebration locally.
The resource guidebook can be found here: usccb-christ-the-king-guidebook.pdf.
Resources on the Ministry Profession
The profession of pastoral ministry with young people is the fulfillment of the vocation of service within the Church. As the Second Vatican Council noted: “They bring to the Church people who perhaps are far removed from it, earnestly cooperate in presenting the word of God especially by means of catechetical instruction, and offer their special skills to make the care of souls and the administration of the temporalities of the Church more efficient and effective.” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, no. 10). Here are some resources about this ministry profession.
2022-2023 Qualitative Study of Pastoral Ministers Serving Young Catholics
Available through Ministry Training Source: Ministry in a New Key
Resources for Youth Ministry Leaders
Organizations Creating Resources for Ministry with Young People
Ablaze Ministries
Parishes can hire Ablaze Ministries to provide a youth minister. Every minister is trained and supervised by Ablaze.
Catholic Apostolate Center
The Catholic Apostolate Center develops formation programs, helps pastoral ministers deepen their connections with each other, and provides formation for members.
Catholic Mission Trips
Catholic Mission Trips plan and handle all the logistics of mission trips created for youth. Catholic Mission Trips have taken groups all over the world.
Challenge and Conquest Youth Ministry
Created by Regnum Christi, offers parents, schools, and parishes methods, material, and training to help boys and girls grow in their faith and serve others.
Cultivation Ministries
Cultivation Ministries offers a wide range of services designed to engage, encourage, and educate through training and resources while offering support to both adult and student leaders.
Life Teen
Life Teen provides resources for parishes with content to train Catechists to connect with today's teens
National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM)
NFCYM looks to equip leaders with tools they need to lead the young Church. Resources include regular webinars, online resources, ministry networks, and more.
NET Ministries
NET Ministries challenges young Catholics, through relational ministry, to follow Christ and embrace a life of community in the Church, through well-formed missionary leaders.
Person & Identity Project
The mission of the Person and Identity Project (PIP) is to assist the Catholic Church in promoting the Catholic vision of the human person and responding to the challenges of gender ideology. Staff trainings, consultations, and speakers available upon request.
Steubenville Conferences
Leadership conferences at Steubenville University created to assist in forming young people and adults into future leaders of the Church.
Torch Bearer Ministries
Developing tools and programs for youth ministry that bring youth deeper into the faith through a blend of catechesis and community.
YDisciple
A training resource for adults who minister to teens designed to assist with small groups. YDisciple is a majority digital platform and can be used for online or in person gatherings.
Formation of Ministry Leaders
Catholic Apostolate Center
The Catholic Apostolate Center develops formation programs, helps pastoral ministers deepen their connections with each other, and provides formation for members.
Marathon Youth Ministry
Marathon Youth Ministry provides coaching and consulting, books, and online content to help assist youth ministers in developing their ministry.
National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM)
NFCYM offers several opportunities for formation throughout the year - including regular webinars (in English and Spanish), online and in-person conferences and events, and other courses.
Project YM
Project YM provides resources for Youth Ministers such as videos, trainings, games, blogs, etc.
Associations Connecting Ministry Leaders
National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM)
NFCYM is a membership association for ministry leaders as individuals and parish leaders (associate membership), diocesan leaders (diocesan membership), and leaders in Catholic organizations, institutions, universities, and apostolates (organizational memberships). For more information about becoming a "member" of the NFCYM, see this web page.